Coatings and Fabrication is a tabloid format
trade magazine directed at the metal finishing (coatings)
industry as well as to the fabrication industry that is one
of the major customers for the coatings industry. The Contents
of the latest edition can be viewed at www.coatfab.com/index
021.htm

Over 5,000 copies of Coatings and Fabrication are distributed
free to contract and captive powder coaters, electroplaters,
anodisers and galvanizers, to industrial designers and architects,
fabricators in steel, stainless steel and aluminium, to sheet
metal workers, and to fencing contractors and to their suppliers
in Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, Europe and North
and South America.

The magazine is sustained by advertising revenue. Subscriptions
($52.80 in Australia (including GST) and $AUD 66.00 other
countries) are available to those persons who wish to guarantee
their personal copy. Email me at mariopen@coatfab.com
or more information.

Coatings and Fabrication provide a training
and consulting service
in the coatings and fabrication fields. We have recently trained
25 Architects, powder supply marketing persons and powder
coaters in Hong Kong in the science of powder coating and
inspection. Certificates have been issued to those that were
deemed competent at the end of the four days of training.
For more information contact mariopen@worldconferencesystems.com
or mariopen@coatfab.com.

Metal finishing is part of the science and art of surface
finishing. In the past, the main focus for metal finishing
was the application of metals onto other metals for functional
as well as decorative purposes. Today, metal finishing includes
the application of metals onto non-metals such as plastics,
glass and wood, etc, the application of non metals (conversion
and chemical and organic coatings) to metals and non metals
(such as powder coating of wood products) and the alteration
of a surface by abrasive blasting either wet or dry. A variety
of techniques are used:
Metals are deposited usingelectrodeposition,chemical
or electroless deposition,dipping in
hot metal (galvanizing),
thermal spraying,
vacuum evaporation, etc.
Organic coatings (paints)
are applied from liquid media as well as solid powdered media
(powder coating).
A wide range of application methods is used for organic coatings.
These include but are not restricted to:
dipping and spraying with or without electrostatics,
brushing,
rolling andeCoat.

In reality, the method for applying the coating can be adapted
for the specific application. Electrocoating (eCoat)
with organic materials is the coating for the future where
high corrosion resistance and abrasive resistance is required.

Today, almost any colour in the rainbow in a wide variety
of gloss or texture finishes can be achieved with many of
the coating systems in the marketplace. Colouring is by conversion
coatings, dyes, paints, etc.

In all instances rigorous surface preparation is essential
for effective coatings to ensure adhesion, corrosion resistance
and long life. Abrasive
blasting is used to prepare surfaces for painting or powder
coating and to apply specific surface textures eg prior to
anodising,
etc. Materials are coated for two purposes Functional or Decorative.
To fully appreciate the need for metal finishing for either
functional or decorative applications, a little knowledge
of corrosion
and corrosion mechanisms is essential. More information is
available from mariopen@coatfab.com.

Fabrication is the art and science of producing commodities
from sheet, strip, extrusions, either from mill finish materials
or from precoated materials. The materials that can be used
include mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium and copper
and its alloys. To fabricate an item you may require some
knowledge of cutting, slitting, bending, forming, deep drawing,
machining, assembly, welding, MIG, TIG, oxy-acetylene, stick
welding, adhesive bonding, riveting, pop riveting, soldering
or brazing.